About us

What we do

The Joseph Rowntree Reform Trust Ltd is a limited company, paying tax on its income, which makes grants for political, campaigning or lobbying purposes that are ineligible for charitable funding.

Our Values

Our values are rooted in liberalism and Quakerism. Recognising the equal worth of every person, we stand for the defence of liberty, freedom of expression, freedom of conscience and freedom from all forms of oppression, be that political, religious, economic or social.

Our Strategic Vision

We seek to bring about significant changes in the political system, making it more accountable, democratic and transparent and to rebalance power for the well-being of society.

Our Aims

The Trust seeks to:

correct imbalances of power, supporting the voice of the individual, the small and weak where that voice is stifled by the group, the big and strong;

strengthen the hand of individuals, groups and organisations who are striving for reform, speaking truth to power and challenging the systems that hinder justice;

address the underlying causes of weakness and injustice in the body politic rather than remedying its superficial manifestations;

foster creative intervention by anticipating and brokering change within the body politic;

support a politically plural society by helping to correct the financial imbalance between the major parties;

assist political liberals from all the major parties in the UK to promote new liberal ideas and policies.

Methods

We will endeavour to meet our aims by:

supporting causes, people or organisations where they share our values even when they may find little favour with mainstream opinion;

supporting our grantees with more than money to create a supportive community of shared belief;

being responsive and flexible, allowing us to adapt our priorities to the needs of our time;

recognising that whilst the Trust might risk its money and reputation in its grant-making, those it supports often risk very much more;

supporting those who have identified the point where the minimum amount of thrust will have the maximum effect.

Spending Power

The Trust's assets are invested in equity investments and a limited amount of property.

From the Trust's present capital of about £50m, Directors allocate a potential grant budget of around £1.25m each year, excluding administrative expenses and tax.

Joseph Rowntree

1836-1925

Origins of the Trust

Joseph Rowntree was a Quaker businessman and member of the Liberal Party with a lifelong concern for the alleviation of poverty and the other great social evils of his day. He made a considerable fortune from the chocolate company which bore his name, and in 1904 transferred a large part of this wealth to three trusts, each designed to reflect and develop different aspects of his thinking about contemporary social problems. All three are totally independent of each other. Links to all the Joseph Rowntree Trusts can be found here.